2016 - We've started the reorganization process since the resignation of our long-time President, Dennis Taylor. In the meantime, Mary Frances Banks, Larry Felton Johnson, Lynda Twilley and Jerry Semprevio will continue to serve on the Board of Directors of the Historic Sylvester Cemetery Foundation. Day-to-day operations will continue to be handled by Jerry Semprevio, a long-time board member. He may be reached at 404-210-7312.

We have been kept busy over the summer with two masonry projects. Our contractor has completed rebuilding the foundation and walls surrounding the Adams family plot near South Clifton Road & Fiddlin' John Carson Lane. The entire plot has been remade according to the Adams family specifications with the leveling the existing headstones, placing a new headstone for their daughter, Mrs. Arnold who recently passed away, addition of two large stone benches and two concrete planters. The entire walled plot has been leveled and topped with 3" of Indian River gravel.

The large (Arch) Carson family plot adjoining the Adams Plot has also been given new life. A new concrete base has been poured and the surround walls have been re-mortared. We're hoping to level the headstones and add new pea gravel before the holidays.

2010 Sylvester Cemetery Events & Meetings

Fiddlin' John Carson's Birthday Celebration

Every year in March we have a great group of fiddlers, pickers and some very talented performers on a temporary stage at Sylvester Cemetery to celebrate the Birthday Anniversary of Fiddlin' John Carson, the father of recorded Country Western & Bluegrass music. Rain or shine, we have a pretty good crowd of neighbors, friends and Country Music fans.

A big thanks for the continuing support for the Historic Sylvester Cemetery goes out to Phyllis Cole. We hope everyone will be back every year!

Phoenix Flies Tours

Larry Johnson conducts a special tour of Sylvester Cemetery every year for the Atlanta Preservation Society's Phoenix Flies Celebration. This year the guests heard stories about early Atlanta settlers buried at Sylvester and then they added some stories of their own...these history buffs know a lot about the early settlement of the Atlanta area. They also made a lot of positive comments about the work that we have done to preserve and maintain the cemetery property, which was good to hear. Everyone present promised to come back often to track our progress at Sylvester and offer advice on future preservation projects. A special thanks to Larry and to all the touring neighbors and local history buffs.

SCHEDULED CEMETERY CLEAN-UPSWe no longer have organized clean-ups at Sylvester Cemetery. We ask anyone wanting to help us with the on-going maintenance projects to call Jerry Semprevio at 404-210-7312 and work out a date, location and time to meet. Please wear layers of clothing and sturdy shoes or boots. Bring garden gloves to protect your hands. We provide bottled water and trail-mix bars. If you can, bring a rake. Our volunteers will rake & bag or shred leaves, mow lawn, prune bushes and drag fallen limbs to the street for pickup. Join us for a few hours and get acquainted with one of the oldest cemeteries in the state of Georgia.

Take I-20 eastbound and exit at Flat Shoals Road. Turn right at the top of the ramp onto Flat Shoals Road. Take the third right turn onto Clifton Road. Follow Clifton for two blocks and turn right onto Braeburn Circle. The cemetery is on both sides of Braeburn between Clifton Road and Josephine Ave.

From Conyers:

Take I-20 westbound and exit at Gresham Road/Flat Shoals Road. Turn right at the top of the ramp onto Flat Shoals Road. Follow Flat Shoals Road for about two miles and turn right onto Clifton Road. Follow Clifton Road for two blocks and turn right onto Braeburn Circle. The cemetery is on both sides of Braeburn between Clifton Road and Josephine Ave.

From Little Five Points:

Take Moreland Avenue southbound to I-20. Take the ramp onto I-20 eastbound and follow the directions above “From Downtown Atlanta”.

MAKE A DONATIONMaking a donation for the restoration and general maintenance of the Historic Sylvester Cemetery is easy. Simply make out your check or money order payable to Historic Sylvester Cemetery Inc and mail it to:

Sylvester Cemetery Foundation
P.O. Box 17555
Atlanta, GA 30316

TRIMMING TREES & BUSHESWhen the weather starts heating up, the vines and privet grow faster than we can keep up with them. We are using weed-wackers and loppers to try and keep the underbrush from overtaking the grave sites. They are the best tools to use if you are planning on working on your family's plot. If you need help to prune trees on your sites, you can call Jerry Semprevio at 404-210-7312 and we will provide an estimate of cost from one of our recommended tree contractors.

Monthly Tours of Historic Sylvester Cemetery will resume again for the 2016 season starting with a Phoenix Flies Tour in March, 2016. This tour will feature an overview of the early settlers of East Atlanta, a tour of their grave sites and stories about these hardy pioneer families. East Atlanta's favorite history buff, Larry Felton Johnson, will lead the tours again this year.

The BATL*2014 tour group listened to Larry Felton Johnson talk about some of the thirty seven Confederate Veterans buried at Sylvester Cemetery and the significance of the location of the battlefield adjacent to the Sylvester Cemetery property.

Larry Johnson conducts the first tour of Civil War veterans buried at Sylvester Cemetery in 2006. The crepe myrtle trees were in full bloom as the tour group visits the grave of veteran John W. McWilliams.

Larry Felton Johnson takes the first of two tour groups through Sylvester Cemetery visiting the graves of Civil War Veterans as a part of BATL2007. In addition to those on the tours, we had small groups exploring the cemetery all day long on their own.